Total pages in book: 94
Estimated words: 87967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 87967 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 440(@200wpm)___ 352(@250wpm)___ 293(@300wpm)
“What are you talking about?” I asked.
“I missed you,” he said quietly. “I really missed you. It’s been weeks and I hadn’t seen or heard from you.”
“You could have called.” I smiled.
“I did,” he said, looking affronted. I took a deep breath, knowing what Daimon had done.
“He has you locked up tight up there.” Darren pointed up.
“I honestly don't understand you. First, you’re okay I'm dating him. You even make fun of us. Then out of nowhere you say you care for me. I tell you I'm sorry and you tell me it’s okay, yet now you’re here, wanting to see me.” Darren and his behavior confused me. He wasn’t the type to not know what he wanted.
“Sue me,” he shrugged. “You’ve always been there, Addie. I liked that you were always there. Now, you’re not,” he hissed.
“I'm married, Darren. I have responsibilities to Daimon. I mean, I get it; we’re friends and I love you as my friend. But I need to take into account how he’d feel, maybe after some time?” I offered.
“Why? Why do I have to lose you because of Daimon’s insecurities?” he scoffed.
“I know what you’re saying, but I understand how he feels too. I would be uncomfortable with Clara around. Yes, he’s a bit much and I wish he trusted me more, but it’s who he is,” I explained.
“It’s bullshit and you know it,” he barked.
“What’s bullshit?” Just what I needed, another Daimon-and-Darren encounter.
“You, keeping Addie from me,” Darren said bitterly as he stood up.
“She’s my wife. Of course I’m going to keep her away from you!” he spat out.
“She’s my friend and you were once mine too,” Darren said coldly.
“That’s before I found out you were in love with my wife,” Daimon seethed. “Do you honestly think I’m just going to let you have time with her? Are you fucked? She’s mine and she will stay mine!” Daimon said as he took me by the hand and yanked me up, pulling me toward the elevator.
“Could you stop making me look inadequate?” I bit back, taking my hand away from his.
“Get in the fucking elevator!” he barked.
“Daimon…”
“Addie, just fucking do it!” The elevator dinged and I stepped in, humiliation washing over me as I stood behind Daimon. Once we reached the penthouse, Daimon waited until I got off.
“Is that what you do? Do you wait until I’m not home and hang out with Darren?” he accused.
“Are you smoking crack? Did you even hear anything I said to him?” I fired back.
“I can’t believe you. After everything you made me feel guilty for and here you are doing the very same thing,” he barked.
“You’re crazy! You are nuts!” I shook my head and left him in the foyer.
“It’s Darren you want,” he snapped.
“Like I told you before. YOU ARE MY HUSBAND! NOT ANYONE ELSE. JUST YOU!” I shouted at him. “I told him I understood why you felt the way you did. I backed you up, you asshole. Why I did? I couldn’t even tell you,” I spewed. “Did you or did you not block his phone number from my phone?” I cried out.
“So what if I did?” he said gruffly.
“Trust, Daimon. Do you even know what that means? Why can’t you just trust me?”
“Are you being serious now? Of course I don’t trust you,” he said coldly.
“That’s too bad. I actually feel sorry for you now. It must be a lonely existence to not have one person on this earth you can rely on or trust. You call me pathetic and petty. You should seriously look at yourself in the mirror once in a while,” I said bluntly. Daimon stood brooding.
“You were always such a bitch.” His words were mean and callous, but then again so were mine. Daimon left that night, breaking our contract rules.
It was our first New Year’s and we spent it apart.
The Next Day
I was awoken by the elevator door opening. I had fallen asleep on the couch with Drako at my feet. I hadn’t realized until the moment I heard Daimon come home. I stirred and stretched out my body; it ached since I was curled up into a small ball. I picked up my iPhone and looked at the time. It was ten thirty in the morning. I swallowed whatever pride I had left and went up to our bedroom, half-anticipating Daimon ready to yell at me. Once I entered, I heard the shower go on. I saw his white buttoned-down shirt thrown onto the floor along with his suit jacket. I knelt down and picked it up, a strong smell of perfume hit my nose. The smell was floral with a hint of berries. I held onto the shirt, my knuckles nearly turning white from my grip. A small pink stain was smudged onto the collar. The bathroom door opened. Daimon, acting like I wasn’t even there, passed me by as he went to his closet to get dressed.